Tugg Massa is the owner and operator of ‘Akron Say No To Dope’ and he has been engaged in high levels of fraud and unlawful conduct for years. Massa is well known for bullying his residents and has made direct attempts to undermine other treatment facilities, all in an effort to further enrich himself. He uses his business to promote political figures, such as local area Judges, which is a direct violation of 501(c)(3) non-profit rules and effectively places him into hot water with the Federal Government. In return for his political endeavors, Judges have been and are expected to send Mr. Massa clients seeking help. After he receives a referral Massa will then send the drug addict to a rehabilitation center where he has and will receive kickbacks for placement (in many cases). Massa has also been reported numerous times for abusing his wife, all of which is documented at length within this article.
Tugg Massa also claims that he doesn’t and never will work for a treatment center. Yet, according to his Facebook he is a recovery coach for a treatment center in Chardon called “Prosperity Haven”. Interestingly enough, Massa doesn’t have a certificate through the State of Ohio. Meaning, he isn’t a certified recovery coach. Yet, this past Friday he was just hosting the “Packard Institute Recovery Coach Academy” where he was “breaking it down” for the candidates.
SEARCH IT: Ohio Public Certification Database
Individuals that reside at Massa’s sober house, on numerous occasions, have witnessed him attacking his wife. Countless others have also reported persistent fighting between the couple. Most recently, Tugg Massa viciously attacked his wife, took her car keys, prevented her from leaving the facility and hit her. Which left his wife with a visible bruise above her eye. It should be noted that the couple both reside at the men’s sober house.
Readers Note: To the resident who has the pictures of the abuse, please send them to scum@scumbagged.com so we can feature them in this article, your identity will remain anonymous. Anyone who has additional information that they would like to add regarding Tugg Massa and his shady operations please Submit An Article or Contact Us.
COBRA Says: Out of everything stated above, one thing isn’t mentioned… Isn’t it like highly unethical for a woman to be permanently housed at an all men’s facility? Tugg Massa’s wife permanently stays at the facility, which is only for men. She sleeps there, showers there, uses the bathroom there. How exactly does that work?
Questions have also been raised regarding Tugg’s sobriety, however nothing has been confirmed and it’s all pure speculation as of this writing.
The Judges
Organizations with 501(c)(3) status cannot participate in political campaigns. This means that ‘Akron Say No to Dope’ cannot legally engage in political promotions of any kind or face severe consequences. A 501(c)(3) organization is absolutely forbidden to directly or indirectly participate in any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. As a direct result, the violation of this prohibition will lead the IRS to completely revoke Akron Say No to Dope’s organizational tax-exempt status and or impose excise taxes on the organization. In other words, the IRS is coming for Tugg Massa for violating Federal Law.
Criminal History
Tugg Massa has a criminal past, one that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering the revelations within this submission. Massa was heavily involved in drug use and drug distribution in his early years as well as blatant theft. As a result, he was sentenced to two unique prison terms, one for 6 months and the other for 2 years. He was ultimately released in 2014.
CR-2008-12-4203 – Theft (F5) – Convicted & sentenced to 6 months in Prison.
CR-2012-10-2919-A – Assembly/Possession of Chemicals, Aggravated Possession of Drugs, Possession of Marijuana, Illegal Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs (F3, F5, F5, M4 & F2 Respectively) – Convicted & sentenced to 2 years in prison for Illegal Manufacturing of Drugs (remaining charges dismissed as part of a plea deal).
SEARCH IT: Summit County Records Search
Shady Donations
As if the aforementioned above isn’t enough to raise concerns regarding the integrity of Mr. Massa, then perhaps the following will shed additional light on his extreme profiteering and selfish behavior.
Massa also owns another company called “New Beginnings Boutique & Thrift”. New Beginnings is a store located at 932 Kenmore BLVD where he sells clothes and other odd items. The shop also accepts donations and individuals whom donate are under the belief that the clothing they are donating will be distributed to the needy in the community and or re-sold at low cost. This is true for most of the donations, however, any new clothes that hold marginal values and or are affixed with price tags are in all actuality taken to Plato’s Closet or sold online through eBay. This was first reported in 2018 by a former board member who worked closely with Massa.
The Bottom Line
SCUMBAGGED Tip: There’s always success stories that derive from sober houses and to anyone that Tugg Massa has helped, god bless you. However, individuals such as Tugg Massa all to often develop a following and are revered and view themselves as savior like figures. It was not Tugg Massa who helped individuals get sober, it was the individual who sought the substance abuse treatment, it was the individual who worked hard to become a functional part of society again and it was the individual who is responsible for any successes they have accomplished. Tugg Massa is nothing more than a greedy little middle man, a womanizer, extreme profiteer, one who enjoys breaking non-profit rules, hard pressing clients for cash, accepting and receiving kickbacks for rehab placements, fighting with his wife all hours of the night (verbally and physically), selling donated clothes for cash on eBay or at a marginal profit to Plato’s Closet, backing political figures in exchange for clients, so on and so forth. If that’s not the definition of a Scumbag, then what exactly is? You’ve been warned…
This is absolutely not true and the class of people you posted was a class of recovery coaches that was training. This is all fake news and hilarious.
I agree with Don Legg. I was in training in the pic above, and Tugg was there briefly to give us a list of recovery options for those we help and to tell us about his story. I do not consider this hosting. Don Legg or Raynard Packard did in fact do the training which I am thankful for. Packard Institute provided good training. The picture above is the same as I had on my timeline, and most likely taken and abused by an unethical means. I was the first one tagged which is what leads me to believe it was taken without permission from my timeline. A lot of lovely hearts are in the training pic above with high hope and good intention to serve those in recovery.
I witnessed this first hand so it is very true..he made a profit off his own daughter
This article is full of lies, lies & more lies!! You do realize you can get sued for slander & defamation of character right?! Why don’t you go after real scumbags instead of trying to soil the good name of a man who completely turned his life around & is now helping others & making our community a better place!! You should be ashamed of yourself!!
Yes im a customer and yes.something that have tags on them they want lots of money for the stuff they gets a lot of donations in also do sell stuff on ebay and platoes closet i wonder how peopl feel about this mess also is he in jail or is this just a story cause they dont do anything to white people in kenmore any way .when i had my thrift store out there in the same place the kemnore police harrased me and my children we never got a.break.when black customers would shop they would park right in back of there. Cars and run there plate and would arrest them on sight.they would not even let me advertise either.they madenit so hard for me and my family.Then just right down the street i rented another building. Next door to the carpet shop they were my land lord they moved down the street the city paid them to move me out because they didnt even want any black business owners there.your own Mike Freeman dont even let me start with this man.Nigger is all i was to him and he would see me and he would tell mayor pluscualic her comes that black bit .i went to the vity Council no one would help.They even kidnaped my fiance by the name of Leo Laney.they didnt want me with him because he had money.The bank remember the bank that was called Firststar bank it closed down bevause i found well over 2 million dollars for this man and we tooknit to the bank and as we handed it in to them he turned and said this is the money that cindy lollar owens found and im giveing it to her.the bank ask me to step out of the office.he said.no i want her to stay here they said just for a min.I slamed the door but i really open the door just to here what they had to say and they said mr laney. Why are you doing this and he said shit she found it.and also i want to co dign for her as well because i want her to her her establish her some credit.they went on to guestion him and he said look i see this young lady working on this house and i seen her useing a kicker and i have never seen any one work so hard not even a white woman .im doing because if somone else would of found that money shit they would of kept it.so i open the door that was suppose to be closed and i said come on mr Leo. Lets go to another bank.so we went across the street to first merit svhit thats a whole another story.but if.you notice the firststar bank is gone also first merit is gone.both banks said that they lost all oaper work WOW. Ceceil ragan had him kid napped. Right in front of my face about 30 police surround my home oh yes the house that leo laney gave me for 1oo.he said just to make the white people mad.but mrs Ragan that works for probate court took and kid.naped him and took him to her house and would not let me see .him judge spicer was in on this shit as well.also what about judge snider shit she had a hearing and i found out about this meeting and some one snuck and called me to let me know were he was at i got there and when he seen me he walked over and hug and kissed me and ask me what was going on and i told him that Cecilia Ragan had him kid napped and they pulled him the next thing i new they took him away and i ask judge snider whats goning on and how can you have a hearing about me and mr leo laney and we dont have any kind of attorney to represent us then i was ask to leave the court.i went out side and about 3 hours later i seen him being.put in her car and he looked back and said.help me girl that is what he use to call me was.babygirl .i nevet seen him again the courts held him at Mrs ragans house and i never seen him again and my house was sprayed painted some rasist people. Sprayed my hose with spray also destroyed my home thru tar every were flip my appliances everywere wrote graffiti everywere.thank god i had a thrift shop at this time..so after a few months went by. I cleaned up my home were me and my children reside i mean they busted up the intire house.so when i cleaned up the hose 30 days later they did it again.so i went and got a u haul to get my personal out and as i was moveing my stuff here pulls up kenmore police they confiscated the dam uhaul and took my shit .and got away with it.they harrassed me and my little kids forever but i never back down.what about my neighbours across the stree they had bom fires and mayor pluscualic would be there some kenmore police it a lot of people.and as the fire was burning they would holler out go niger go leave nigger leave .you very on council man mike. Freeman would be there this is before he bevame council.but guess what he would di he would kmovk on neigjbors doors tring to get votes and he would also tell them ” hay if you see this. Black girl come home please just call the police on here cause we are trying to get her out this neighbor hood.he didnt know that i was in back of the door.the address was 1916 6th street .remember.i had tapes of the things that was going on and i dent one tonevery council member attorney mendenhall and.no one would.help.the kenmore police judt took over my whole life .The akron beacon journal never would do a story on this as well. Anthony Hudson was a news.reporter he came out and did a story on me and my family Mr leo laney i had told him what was going on .I told him how i was being treated and that no one would help.i told him about the sad stories and i told him that when ever i would leave mu home to take my children to school that when i got home that the police would pull there guns out and i would had to turn around and put my hands up and go in my purse to pull my id out and this was did at least two to three times a day.it never stoped.because mr council man mr Freman he was the council man now he won his election and now i was.being targeted more.so as we were sitting in front of my home which i got for a dollar i had a grest big picture of Leo Laney at the interview and as i was just telling him about these rasist mess that the kenmore police were doind to my 11 and.12 year old.sons and family i told him can you imagine comming home and two may thee times a.day that.police were called.and on the orders of Cecile Ragan .judge snyder.councilman freenman just can you imagine getting guns drawn on you and your.children all the tome.well akron beacon journal wouldnt take the story but this young.black man name anthony Hudson did the story so as we are sitting there i was just telling tem how they pull up and.pull thete guns.out and as we were talking GUESS WHAT they came.they surround the house and pulled there guns we were so afraid and they tje one kenmore police said sir she.dont caught us on tape again.they turned around as if they were in the army and.left .but did.it stop there no.so go guestion some of these people and.get the truth aboul kenmore ask marie and kyle smith how they thru me out .ask the city why i couldnt even put up a sign for advertise my business what happen to 2 million dollars that was deposit in first star bank what about first merit
This made my brain hurt to try to read. Please learn English.
Hes always seemed shady. Gets on the news and rambles on like an idoit.
The thrift shop is over priced.
Whomever wrote this didn’t care about the people he’s already helped. More than 1000 people, yet you want to point him to be a bad person and slander his name. I want to know who the author is of this as I find this to be rubbish and I will contact all the appropriate people in order to get this removed. You should be ashamed of yourself!!!
In addition no nonprofit laws was violated, as an individual you are allowed to have a political opinion, notice they are not all Akron Say No members nor are they on organization time. With that said, organizations are allowed to meet and talk to any and all political leaders/figures as long as that invitation was made bipartisan. You should have checked that prior to the slander you spewed.
Oh and you might want to review the Designation H for 501 (c)3 lol… you’re going to find out how regrettable this was.
This is horse shit. I know Tugg to be genuine. Stop promoting a personal agenda of hate and slander. Whoever authored this is obviously not a legitimate journalist, nor has any formal training in any type of journalism. They also have no clue about recovery coaching, recovery housing, or recovery in general. Grow up.
Wow this is hysterical considering there is no real validity to it. If your gonna trash someone you should try having facts not opinions. So heres praying you dont get charges for defamation of character. Also the people trying to be on the side of the article should really learn how to write properly.
Wow this man has done so much to help people find recovery. Why not spend the time writing about how we need more help fighting addiction. This man has dedicated his time to help anyone who asks. Tugg dont you let this stop you Buddy. I know I appreciate all you do. people dont understand how lost families are dealing with addiction and it’s great to have someone to help
Honestly, I appreciate anyone who has the courage to try and help someone else who is/has struggled with an SUD or even mental illness. I’ve never witnessed Tugg “abuse” his wife. I don’t “know” if he gets “kickbacks” or works for a treatment facility etc… I don’t care about his criminal past because he uses it to inspire hope to others. This, along with the fact that I’ve never seen him “high” or “drunk” and he offers abstinence from drugs and alcohol as a stepping stone to long-term recovery to people who are new to recovery is enough to call BS on this post. Has he ever been to my house for dinner? No. Can he name all of my kids? No. Is he gonna make my Christmas list this year or vice versa?? Probably not… point is its HARD to care for others to a degree that you would even consider going to the lengths Tugg has to help people. Is he gonna get everything 100% in his endeavor(s), no… is gonna do things the way YOU would want him to? No. Has he made a difference in the lives of others and the community he calls home-yes. He deserves better than this post represents. It’s stuff like this that keeps people from getting the help they need and dying senselessly. His name/contact info may be the only one that comes to mind the moment someone decides they want to live or change. Please stop bashing folks. Not sure if Tugg can handle it. But blast me if ya gotta blast someone… I’ve been through the fire in the depths of hell and lied on by better people who don’t hide behind websites they “think” are helping all the while harming.
Every single comment here supporting him is from a family member or friend. Everyone else knows just how big of a piece of shit Massa is, soon to be shut down!!!!!!!!!
Yes! Its probably him writing it i know how he talks
He 100% is a joke. He has abused my sister for years. We have pics to prove it. Also we have a video of him saying he’s drunk and pics of the numerous amount of weed he has at his house. He also physically beats up men who relapse in the sober house. He thinks he’s all that but in reality no one will even work with him anymore because he’s a joke!!!!! That’s why akron say no to dope is pretty much non existent at this point!!!!
He definitely put hit hands on his wife. Beat her, smacked her, give him a hair follicle test, he will fail that too.
Never heard of Scumbagged till today and sorry I have. I truly believe you should have proof of allegations against the person whose name you want to drag through the mud. Tugg’s past has brought him to the place he is in now. Dedicating his life to help others have a better life. He is a good and kind man who cares about others. God bless him for all he does. And to the person who wrote these things about him put your name on what you wrote. If you are proud of what you wrote you should of put your John Hancock on it and if you didn’t get that your signature
Tugg asked me to refer him clients when he was first getting ASNTD started in the beginning. He told me he would give me a financial kick back “outside of *******” because I worked there. I told him how unethical this would be for both me and him, but he continued to try to convince me why it was okay.. I held my ground and refused, knowing my ethical guidelines and having morals.. It seems to have all spiraled from that point. I also heard first hand from people he worked with in the beginning that left ASNTD because the financial books where not true and a lot of money raised at events went directly into Tugg’s pockets. I’m saddened to know how many people are being manipulated when they are sick and truly need help.
I’m here now. I have recordings of their arguments and fighting and that part is true. A lot of us think he is on drugs too because of the way they fight and argue and he gets irate and irritable and has pinpoints fucking is a nice guy but he definitely put his hands on her that is without a doubt.
So you recorded it? Did you call the police or help his wife? Exactly!
InHouse… If you speak the truth then why not use your real name you coward?
HE CLEARLY SAYS PROSPERITY HAVEN ALSO ACCEPTS MEDICAID BUT IT CLEARLY STATES THEY do not TAKE MEDICAID ONLY CASH CHECKS AND PAY PAL (https://www.rehabs.com/listings/prosperity-haven-treatment-center-for-men-4280022599/) . ALSO, THERE WAS NO MENTION OF THE 110$ A WEEK COLLECTED FROM EACH “CLIENT” WHO ARE SELF PAY FROM THEIR LOW PAY SHIT JOBS THAT THEY GET THROWN INTO AND MULTIPLIED TIMES HOW MANY MATTRESSES THEY CAN SQUEEZE IN EACH ROOM. WHEN ONE STARTS A LOW PAY SHIT JOB THEY ARE LOCKED IN FOR THE FIRST 90 DAYS ( CANT BE LATE AND CANT MISS A DAY OF WORK) WHICH MAKES PEOPLE WONDER HOW THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET. A “FOOD BANK” DOESN’T COST ANY MONEY .DID HE JUST JUSTIFY HAVING HIS NEWLYWED WIFE IN EARLY RECOVERY LIVING IN A HOUSE FULL OF MEN SO THEY CAN HAVE “AN EXTRA EAR?” ..AND BECAUSE “OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT..”
POOR GIRL
The guy in the house didn’t call the police bc of several reasons. One being the fear of retaliation. Her sister came to get her after Tugg roped the keys out of her hands and in doing so scratched her neck. Secondly, if the owner of the sober house is getting violent with his wife, what do you think is going through the mind of a newly recovered addict?? People have problems in marriage but in my experience most don’t have public display of domestic violence…especially in a sober house…
Prospierty Haven has offered $1,000 commissions for its past employees to bring “private insured” clients through the door. I’m certain that Tugg’s “real position” isn’t a Recovery Coach because he lives an hour away from that facility and was never up there. ( how can you be of support when you are in a different county) He is truly funneling individual men through ASNTD with private insurance and referring them to Prosperity Haven (only) and the Medicaid clients go elsewhere. Getting paid a low rate + $1,000 commission is called BODY BROKERING and it’s ILLEGAL.
While you are investing Tugg, l would be investigating his boss, Eric at Prospierty Haven who fled from Florida after being raided by the FEDS.
To whoever wrote this article, youre a sad little man/woman…. Youre unfounded claim that he doesnt help people but it was the addict that sought help as the catalyst is completely disingenuous. They picked me up from detox when I had nowhere else to go, sat for 3 hrs and called like 50 places until they got me in somewhere, then made sure I got there safe. I had no money and nothing from which they could profit. They just helped me. Helping people is sometimes a thankless job, but to have someone write such a bitter and targeted slam piece just to shit on this mans altruism is pathetic. I doubt whoever wrote this article ever helped anyone, and you’re insecurity and perpetual disdain is showing very clearly. Whoever you are, you should not be a published writer. Youre a sad little douchebag. You should leave planet earth immediately.
I helped him before in hte past try to get setup / organized properly but his “board members” were too ignorant to understand and viewed change as threatening. He seemed kind of shady, but that goes with the business.
However, my opinion changed when I hooked up with a girl who had recently been at his sober house briefly. She is the type to never never lie and told me he offered her sex once per week in exchange for not having to pay rent. When she turned him down he was shitty to her.
4 months later I got with someone else with a similar story.
As for hitting his wife, I’ve heard that a lot and believe it.
Here it is, over a year later from the last comment on this article, so I’m going to post my two cents worth.
Tugg Massa is a classic narcissist, liar and mast manipulator. He has most of everyone fooled, including all of you on this thread that stuck up for him. Let me be clear here, HE IS A SCUMBAG! While this incident has nothing to do with ASNTD, it has everything to do with his violent tendencies!
He is now a General manager for Dominos Pizza. On October 8th, he physically assaulted my son on the clock at work. Had him pinned up against the wall by his neck. All steaming from Tugg firing the assistant manager for sending a driver home that day. The guy left and then took his rage out on my son! My son was NOT the aggressor, he had no reason to be. He was at work doun his job when Tugg directed his rage at my son. My son filed a police report and we applied pressure for the higher up management to fire Tugg Massa. It took almost a month, and they finally sent him to another store, instead of just firing him.
I feel sorry for the staff there, but my pursuit for him to be terminated isn’t finished! Someone has to stick up for these kids, and that’s goin to be me! He won’t stop being a terrorist to the people that works under him, I’m goin to stop that from happening!! He put his hands on the wrong kid!
For those of you that have found your sobriety due to ASNTD, I commend you, I’m proud of you, and I hope you continue your path of sobriety as that is so very important! My middle son lost his battle almost a year & half ago, I wish nothing more than him to be here! SO JUST KNOW YOUR SOBRIETY MATTERS!